


Accidental Proposition

by donniedont



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Animal Death, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/F, Movie Night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 11:26:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2810492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/donniedont/pseuds/donniedont
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Penelope invites Kate over for a peculiar cute animal documentary.  She finds herself shocked when Kate says yes.  A CM Secret Santa fic for yetanothercriminalmindsfanatic on Tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Accidental Proposition

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is tagged as a ship, however, it can be interpreted more platonic in nature. Happy holidays, yetanothercriminalmindsfanatic!!

Penelope wasn’t sure why she made the proposition in the first place, let alone why she made it during a case. But before she could catch herself, she finished her fairly case-related phone call to Kate with an invitation. 

“Hey,” she said, “How do you feel about baby sloths?”

“Sloths?” Kate asked, pausing for a moment. “ _Hm_. They look a little bit like coconuts to me, but I’m sure I can be swayed. Why? Is what’s happening freaking you out?”

“No!” Penelope exclaimed, “I mean, not anymore icky and gross than usual. I just found out a special about baby sloths is going to premier this week and I thought you might like to see it with me if you end up back home in time.”

Kate hummed in response. Penelope nervously pressed at a particularly squishy toy on her desk until Kate said, “I’d love to!”

“Great,” Penelope said, “I hope I’ll see you then!”

“Anything else you’d like to add about work stuff?”

“Nope! I’ll call you as soon as I have anything!” They exchanged goodbyes and Penelope hanged up, staring at her computer screen until her vision doubled and she could see the pixels. She refocused again and dove into another search.

She tried her best to keep her interest in Kate on the down-low. She liked the connection they were developing, but it was something she could barely articulate to Derek, let alone Kate herself. Even her apprehension toward baby sloths was cute, in her own Kate-like way.

So Penelope waited. There was certainly enough developments in the case to keep herself distracted. She ignored the fact that the case looked like it wasn’t going to complete in time for the special, and accepted that her plans were going to fall through. She set up her DVR and wondered if she could coerce someone else to watch it with her at a later date.

The only thing that left Penelope slightly miffed was that Kate didn’t even bring it up. Penelope knew that she had a habit of holding a grudge. But even then, she thought their relationship was a little more meaningful than that. She knew it was probably not appropriate to keep this in the back of her mind as she continued working on the case, but she was always a person that tried her best to not let her job entirely consume her.

Luckily, the case resolved with the unsub being captured. The team boarded their flight and they were expected to return at some point in the early afternoon. Penelope waited patiently, tidying up her area and entering the bullpen when she heard movement. She watched them fill in the space with the usual lethargy of completing a case. Derek tossed his arm across his shoulder and kissed her forehead.

“You’re looking a little glum, sweetness,” he said to her.

“Yeah, I kinda am,” she admitted, “Got my plans foiled by the case, but I’m pretty used to that by now.”

He nodded his head, turning away to say something to Hotch. He squeezed her shoulder a moment longer before he let go of her.

Penelope half-listened to the conversation, rolling on the balls of her feet. She felt someone tap her shoulder and she turned around to see Kate waiting patiently.

“Hey, how are you holding up?” Penelope asked.

“I’ll be fine,” she replied, “But you know what will _really_ help with that?”

Penelope tilted her head. “What?” she asked.

“A documentary about baby sloths,” she said, grinning, “If you’re still into that, of course.”

Penelope’s eyes lit up, pulling herself out of the circle that she formed with Morgan and Hotch to face her. She grabbed Kate’s hand and said, ‘You’re _so_ lucky I DVR’ed it!”

Kate laughed, gripping her hand back. “Let me finish up my paperwork and check up on the kiddo. Then I’ll head to your place.”

Penelope nodded, feeling all of her jewelry clink together. “Yes!” she exclaimed, “I’ll text you my address!”

*

Penelope rushed home and tried to clean up her place. She took out the garbage and shoved the toiletries under the sink. She combed through the kitchen to figure out what kind of food she could tentatively offer. She forgot what it was like to spend time with a new person. Frequent visitors were used to the eccentricities of her home. Kate might not have been as ready for the assortment of anime figures she set up pretty close to the front door. Luckily, Kate arrived fairly quickly, preventing Penelope from having to question her lifestyle choices.

Kate stopped in the entrance, turning around to take in every aspect of the room. Penelope tried to read her face, until she realized she was staring and took off her glasses to clean them.

After an uncomfortably long time, Kate said, “Your place is so _you_ , I love it!”

Penelope smiled. “I’m glad you think so!” she exclaimed. She helped her to the living room, showing off the spread she set up on the coffee table. “I got snacks, but if you want actual food, let me know.”

“Are you up for Thai? I passed by a place close by and I can’t get it out of my head.”

Penelope waved her hands excitedly. “Yes! Absolutely! That place is _so_ good, you’ll love it!”

They ordered food and waited for it to arrive. Kate filled Penelope in about the interactions she missed during the case. penelope didn’t have the heart to tell her that Derek essentially narrated everything to her in real time, much preferring the animated retelling Kate was giving instead of text messages. Kate scrunched up her nose as she provided impersonations with varying success of members of their team, as well as the people she met while on the case. Kate clasped her hand on Penelope’s shoulder and Penelope leaned in, taking in the way that she applied her makeup before the doorbell rang.

Penelope paid and got the food, spreading it out on the table for them. “All right!” she exclaimed, “Let’s start this sloth extravaganza!”

The documentary started off extremely cute. They ate and sat side-by-side, their shoulders touching as they made side-comments about everything.

“I take it back,” Kate said as a sloth squeaked in frustration while it climbed up a pole, “These little guys are pretty cute.”

“I told you!” Penelope replied, “They look pretty coconutty, but they’re a cute coconutty.”

Kate nodded in agreement, pressing her cheek against Penelope’s shoulder.

Eventually, the documentary took a dark turn. Twin sloths were found on the side of the room and the sanctuary featured in the documentary was trying to take care of them. Unfortunately, one of them didn’t make it and the caretakers were mourning the loss.

Penelope pinched the bridge of her nose, tilting her head toward Kate. “Wait, I didn’t think this would get sad on us.”

Kate covered her face, her shoulders shaking. Penelope tried to pat her shoulder.

“It’s okay,” Penelope said, “You can cry over the sloths. This got really emotional!”

Kate lifted her head, dragging her hands toward her mouth. “I can’t believe I’m crying about a sloth,” she said, her voice muffled. She slammed her body against Penelope’s and burrowed her head into her arm. “This can’t leave the room! I’ll be kicked off the team, for sure!”

“Kate Callahan. Can handle some of the nastiest things the BAU caseload can come up with… not so much with baby sloths,” Penelope announced, changing her voice in a way to sound more like a sports announcer.

Kate wiggled in response and stayed in that position as the scene shifter to a lighter topic about how the other baby sloth rallied and began to thrive at the sanctuary. Kate stayed at her side, easing her body against Penelope’s. Penelope brought her arm over her shoulder, smiling when Kate hummed and fit herself closer. She allowed herself to bask in her warmth.

The documentary ended with them still in the position, their commentary running out to take in the cute final shots of the sloths they were able to meet during the documentary.

Penelope turned off the documentary and eased up on her grip around Kate. “I’m sorry that got a little deep toward the end,” Penelope said, slowly lifting her arm off of her. 

Kate slid over and gave her a hug. “It felt good feeling something that wasn’t about the case. Even if it was being sad over a coconut.”

Penelope groaned. “Wait, after all that, you _still_ think they’re coconuts?!”

Kate pulled away and grinned. “Was this a ploy to make me think otherwise?” She gave Penelope a playful smile, one that Penelope realized she didn’t have the honor of seeing before. 

“No,” Penelope finally replied, brushing her hand against Kate’s, “But that might have been one of my goals.”

Kate gave her another smile and Penelope decided that it didn’t matter if that part of the plan didn’t succeed.


End file.
